48 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



that it is a question whether farmers do not suffer a 

 good deal in consequence. Although this Gull 

 follows the plough in spring time picking up grubs 

 and worms, it does not confine itself entirely to that 

 sort of food, but roots up the seed after the field has 

 been sown. This, however, is only my own opinion. 

 According to ornithological books these Gulls would 

 not appear to be so plentiful, but my own experience 

 scarcely bears this out. Whenever I have taken 

 passage in any of the coasting steamers about our 

 British Islands I have always found myself accom- 

 panied by these very graceful birds. How graceful 

 they are may best be tested by throwing scraps to 

 them on the water, in order to watch their turning, 

 twisting evolutions, poising and gently dropping 

 with uplifted wings and drooping legs, till with the 

 most perfect balance they manage to seize with 

 their bills the scrap of meat or biscuit or "what-not" 

 just thrown out to them. 



When fishing in the islands of the Hebrides, 

 particularly South Uist, it used to be the one great 

 amusement of the hotel sportsmen there, when 

 having lunch on the shores of some trout loch, to 

 collect all the Gulls in the vicinity by giving them a 

 share of the meal. Very often tricks were played 

 upon them in the shape of tying a bit of string to 

 the piece of food, which the innocent Gull would 

 swallow, and then find he had got something else 

 which he couldn't digest. Birds of this species 

 soon get very tame and confiding if constantly fed. 

 There were very numerous nests on the islets in all 



